Meet three athletes who will finally be racing Ironman Hawaii as part of the Legacy program.

Last month, Ironman announced the winners of its Ironman Legacy program—100 dedicated Ironman athletes who will have the chance to race the Ironman World Championship this October. Of the 100 athletes who earned a spot to Kona in the program, 55 are from outside of the United States, from 15 different countries (including 15 Australian athletes, 11 Canadian athletes and nine German athletes).

The Legacy program, only in its second year, grants loyal Ironman competitors an opportunity to race in Kona at least once in their lifetime. To be eligible for the 2013 selection, athletes had to have completed at least 12 full-distance Ironman-branded races, have never started the Ironman World Championship, have completed at least one Ironman event in 2011 and in 2012, and be registered for an Ironman in 2013.

Ironman also announced the 105 (100 general age-groupers and five physically challenged) winners of its Lottery program. Almost 20 countries were represented in this year’s lottery—it attracted 55 percent more athletes from the Asia-Pacific region this year compared to last, and 88 percent more athletes from Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The Ironman Lottery program, which began in 1983 thanks to the vision of Ironman co-founders John and Judy Collins, provides athletes of all abilities the opportunity to race Ironman Hawaii.

We caught up with three of the Lottery and Legacy winners—Bryan Ogle, Anna Fyodorova and Larry Lanza—to hear more about their triathlon journeys and their goals for Kona.

Visit Ironman.com for more information on the Legacy and Lottery programs.

PHOTOS: 2012 Ironman World Championship

Bryan Ogle (Ironman Lottery winner)

Bryan Ogle, 46, lives in California and has applied to the Ironman Lottery program six times.

Triathlete.com: What was your reaction when you heard you got a Lottery spot?

Bryan Ogle: Actually, good story: I came in from a ride (I was riding with friend getting ready for Ironman CDA) on Sunday and my wife says, “Did you enter the Kona Lottery, because I am getting congrats about you getting into Kona!” I am a social media guy and friends were posting to her Facebook wall. I pulled out my phone and my earlier post during the day was now filled with comments like, “Have you looked at the Lottery results?” I was totally stoked and a bit freaked out. There are Ironmans, and then there is Kona.

How many Ironmans have you raced? 

Seven (Ironman Coeur d’Alene four times, Ironman Canada, Ironman St. George, Ironman Arizona).

How and when did you first get into the sport? 

In 2000, I helped bring the USAT Age Group Nationals to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. In 2002, I was part of the team that secured a license with NA Sports to birth IMCDA. … That was August ’02 and we did not have a course for June ’03. We got it done and I was fully immersed in the goings-on for ’03-’05. Standing in the middle of the “hot corner” at IMCDA in ’05, I decided I was doing the race in ’06. I didn’t own a bike or know how to swim farther than chasing my surfboard. In 2003 a close friend of mine in CDA finished as top local and it was pretty cool, which added to my stoke!

How close have you come to qualifying for Kona?

Not very. I think my fastest Ironman is 11:40. I am in a really tough age group (M45-49), but all the age groups are getting tougher.

Do you have any goals for Kona?

Yes: to fully and completely enjoy the experience and manifest outward the absolute enjoyment I get from the sport and the folks in it; leverage my chance to do something good for a deserving organization, but have not decided which one; involve my family/friends deeply in the journey (they have always been there); break 12 hours.

Photos: Kona Age-Grouper Bikes and Pros At Bike Check-In

Anna Fyodorova (Ironman Legacy winner)

At age 32, New York resident Anna Fyodorova is the youngest athlete to ever get a Kona spot through the Ironman Legacy program. She’s been racing Ironman since 2005 and loves the Ironman lifestyle.

Triathlete.com: What was your reaction when you heard you got a Legacy spot?

Anna Fyodorova: I was beyond excited when I heard I was going to go to Kona! It has been a dream since 2005 and I was literally skipping around the office and calling loved ones. Excitement, butterflies, relief, fear all rolled into one giant emotion.

How many Ironmans have you raced?

To this day I have raced 16 Ironmans, and Lake Placid and Kona are on the schedule for this season.

How and when did you first get into the sport?

I got into the sport when I was 18 years old. I was initially a runner and swam in high school and decided to sign up for a local duathlon, borrowed my dad’s mountain bike, and that was the start of a love with multisport. I then began racing triathlon and began with sprints and Olympic distances and then half-Ironman, and then when I graduated physical therapy school in May 2005, my next goal was Ironman Lake Placid in July. And that was the start of many Ironman adventures all over the world and hopefully many more to come!

What do you think of the Ironman Legacy program?

I think that the Ironman Legacy program is an absolutely wonderful idea and not just because I am going to Kona and the program is fulfilling a dream of mine. The Legacy program is allowing dedicated Ironman triathletes who have been loyal, long-time members of the Ironman community a chance to fulfill their dream. I have been a fan of Ironman, the idea, the brand, and what it represents and its high standards and world-quality levels of competition for a long time, and this program is an awesome addition to all Ironman has given me personally.

How close have you come to qualifying for Kona?

I have come close several times during my racing career to qualifying for Kona but with no cigar, as they say. I was fifth in my age group at Ironman Lake Placid in 2005 and fourth in 2006, but with one slot, both times it was taken before me. I was also third and fourth at the St. Croix 70.3 [one of the few 70.3 races that awards Kona slots] in my age group, and also the spots were taken before me.

Do you have any goals for Kona?

My goals for Kona are to have an amazing time, enjoy the environment and race to its fullest and every second of it and survive the Kona legend and not vomit all over the race course. I would like to go under 13 hours and just enjoy the one place on earth I refused to go to until I made it to the race, and that’s finally going to happen!

RELATED: What You Need To Know About Ironman’s New Lottery Program

Larry Lanza (Ironman Legacy Winner)

Wisconsin resident Larry Lanza, 45, has been racing triathlons since 1994 and Ironmans since 1996. He’ll be racing Kona for the first time through the Legacy program.

Triathlete.com: What was your reaction when you heard you got a Legacy spot? 

Larry Lanza: My initial reaction was that I felt humbled and honored to be given the opportunity. I consider it a gift from God to have the ability to race triathlons, and I’m very thankful.

How many Ironmans have you raced?

I’ve raced in 17. My first Ironman race was Ironman Canada in 1996.

How and when did you first get into the sport? 

Initially, my background is competitive swimming and I had dabbled a little in some local 5K and 10K running races. My twin brother Craig and I were introduced to triathlon in the summer of 1993 by a fellow Masters swimmer, Dave Diamond. Dave swam with us and was training for Ironman Canada. In ’93 and ’94, he invited me on bike rides from the Schroeder YMCA after swim practices (where I would promptly get dropped and then gradually I started to improve). My first race was the Pardeeville Triathlon in Pardeeville, Wis. Within a year, I started to meet, train and race with a whole host of local Wisconsin triathletes, most notably John Schlagenhauf, Terry Labinski, Heather Gollnick and Lauren Jensen. Without a doubt, they influenced my early years in the sport. In reflection, as the years have passed, as accomplished as each of them were in the sport, I think I was more drawn to the friendships and the social camaraderie of the local triathlon scene back in those days. The sport was much more organic. Continuing, the first Ironman Hawaii qualifier I raced was the Mrs. T.’s Chicago triathlon in 1995, which doubled as national championships that year. Ironically, I remember at the post-race party, they actually drew two random names for Ironman Hawaii slots literally as door prizes!

What do you think of the Ironman Legacy program? 

For me, it’s an amazing opportunity. I give Andrew Messick and his staff at Ironman a lot of credit for being bold and making these changes for Kona in a way he feels is positive. This race is unlike other races and is a dream for me and so many other athletes to be a part of. Going back to the very beginning in 1978, it was as much of a challenge just to finish as it was a race. Thanks to original finisher and fellow Milwaukee native Dave Orlowski for sharing a little about what the race was in its infancy, for those who started it—the ultimate physical challenge. My journey to get here has been a lot of hard work, and it’s also been a lot of fun. In short, Legacy is truly unique, and I intend to make the most of it and give everything I have on race day.

How close have you come to qualifying for Kona?  

I missed by two spots. My Ironman PR is 10:01.

Do you have any goals for Kona?

Yes, a few.  First, I’ll have a lot of friends and family there, so I’d like to finish in the light and not the dark, so they don’t have to wait too long. And with that, no medical tent. Second, I want to represent my friends and sponsors well: Ashworth Awards, Urban Hotels, CycleOps and RACC (Racers Against Childhood Cancer presented by GearGrinder). Lastly, I’m hoping my twin brother Craig qualifies so we can both race together. That would be fantastic to mix it up with him out on the race course!

RELATED: Hawaii Ironman Tips From A Flying Dutchman

Germans Faris Al-Sultan and Kristin Möller won Ironman Lanzarote using dominating performances highlighted by strong bike rides on a course that include 8,000 feet of climbing.

The swim started under pretty heavy rain, but the lead pack of six men stuck together during the two laps, led by Brit Stephen Bayliss (last year’s Lanzarote runner-up), who finished in a time of 47:45. Bayliss was closely followed by five men including Al-Sultan and Spain’s Miguel Blanchart. Al-Sultan soon took the lead, followed by Brit Philip Graves and Bayliss, but kept building a huge lead all the way into T2. He finished the bike in 4:53:03, with Graves and Blanchart almost 10 minutes back into T2. Al-Sultan ran a 2:55 marathon to maintain almost that 10-minute lead to the finish, finishing in a time of 8:42:40. Blanchart finished second after running a 2:54:20 marathon, and Estonian Kirill Kotsegarov edged out Graves in a sprint to the finish to take the final spot on the podium.

In the women’s race, Dutch age grouper Hanneke de Boer was first out on the bike after finishing the swim in a time of 54:06. She was followed by Spanish pro Saleta Castro and age-grouper Melissa Dowell of the UK. British pro Bella Bayliss started the bike in fourth but later dropped out on the run. Starting the bike in eighth position about five and half minutes back was German pro Kristin Möller, who powered through the tough bike course to take the lead. Dutch pro Heleen Bij de Vaate moved into second place on the bike (she finished third on this course last year). Möller maintained her lead into T2, finishing the bike in a time of 5:31:47. Bij de Vaate used a 5:39 bike split to start the run in second about 15 minutes behind the leader. Möller posted a solid 2:58 marathon to maintain the lead to the finish—she finished 32 minutes over the runner-up. Bij de Vaate finished second, and Castro rounded out the podium.

More than 1700 age-group athletes started the race, including Gordon Haller, the first-ever Ironman Hawaii winner in 1978.

Ironman Lanzarote
Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain – May 18, 2013
2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run

Men
1. Faris Al-Sultan (GER) 8:42:40
2. Miguel Blanchart (ESP) 8:52:08
3. Kirill Kotsegarov (EST) 9:04:09
4. Philip Graves (GBR) 9:04:17
5. Bert Jammaer (BEL) 9:06:48

Women
1. Kristin Möller (GER) 9:37:34
2. Heleen Bij de Vaate (NED) 10:09:31
3. Saleta Castro (ESP) 10:14:27
4. Joyce Wolfe (IRE) 10:31:45

Complete results.

After 30 years, two of the longest running triathlons in the country, Life Time Tri Chicago (formerly the Chicago Triathlon) and Leon’s Tri, have teamed up to form Chicago’s first ever triathlon series, the Chicagoland Tri Series. The series was created to better engage and reward the greater Chicago triathlon community, one of the largest and oldest triathlon markets in the country.

Leon’s Triathlon, which will be celebrating its 30^th anniversary this year on Sunday, June 2, is hosted at Wolf Lake Park in Hammond, Ind. (about a half-hour drive south of Chicago). Athletes will swim, bike and run on a closed course in Northwest Indiana. The international-distance race has been marketed as the “world’s fastest triathlon,” and will be broadcast on Comcast SportsNet (premiering in July). Last year’s race drew more than 750 athletes from around the country.

Life Time Tri Chicago has been around for more than 30 years, and will take place this year on Aug. 25 at Grant Park in Chicago. The sprint- and Olympic-distance race, part of the Life Time Tri portfolio of races, is one of the largest triathlons in the world and includes more than 10,000 athletes racing on its urban course through the streets of one of America’s signature metropolises. The races start at Monroe Harbor, loop along Lake Shore Drive and end with a run down Columbus Drive.

The way it works is any triathletes who participate in both Leon’s Triathlon and the Life Time Tri Chicago during the 2013 season can be enrolled in the series competition by simply opting in through a registration portal on the site. Individual’s finish times from the two races will be combined and tabulated to create an overall series score, and top performing athletes in all men’s and women’s age groups will earn special awards. Anyone who races Leon’s Tri can opt in to the series by August 25 (the date of Life Time Tri Chicago).

For those athletes who don’t win age-group awards, the series also aims to appreciate those who simply enroll in both events. Anyone who opts into the program and participates will be invited to a season-ending Chicagoland Tri Series Athlete party (event date and details are forthcoming).

While both events will continue to be produced independently, there will be some cross-promotion at each race. In addition to the end-of-season party, Life Time will host a branded “speed trap” activation area at both races (a one-mile, chip-timed straightaway where athletes will compete for prizes for fastest speed along the mile-long stretch), and Leon’s Team Challenge concept will be adopted at the 2013 Life Time Tri Chicago. Individual award winners will earn a variety of prizes including complimentary 2014 race entries, wetsuits, shoes and tri apparel. Teams will vie for the Chicagoland Tri Series Champioship Cup and bragging rights-esque prizes.

For more information, visit Chicagolandtriseries.com, Chicagotriathlon.com and Leonstriathlon.com.

PHOTOS: 2012 Life Time Chicago Tri

On Sunday, May 19, nearly 2,000 athletes including more than 40 pros will race the 30th anniversary of the Columbia Triathlon in Columbia, Md. The race is the longest running triathlon in the Mid-Atlantic and is part of the 5150 series of Olympic-distance races.

Included among the pros in the men’s race are 2013 Ironman New Zealand and double Olympic medalist Bevan Docherty of New Zealand; 2012 Toyota Cup champion and defending Columbia Triathlon winner Cameron Dye; 2010 and 2011 Columbia Tri champ Andrew Yoder; and Canada’s Brent McMahon, who’s fresh off his Ironman 70.3 U.S. Pro Championship win over a deep field in St. George, Utah, last Saturday.

In the women’s race, the field is highlighted by top names such as Great Britain’s Leanda Cave, the reigning Ironman and 70.3 world champion; American Meredith Kessler, a multiple Ironman champion who just won in St. George as well; top 70.3 athlete Angela Naeth of Canada; former ITU athlete Annabel Luxford and American Margaret Shapiro, who won the Columbia Tri in 2006 and has had several podium finishes on this course. Other top contenders include Olympic-distance specialists Alicia Kaye, Laurel Wassner and Nicky Samuels.

The pros will be competing for a share in the $25,000 prize purse. The event will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Maryland Chapter. Organized by TriColumbia, the Columbia Triathlon’s 1.5K swim, 40K bike and 10K run courses are considered some of the toughest on the Olympic-distance non-draft circuit. Also one of the oldest races in the nation, the Columbia Tri began in 1984 with 90 athletes. Now part of the 5150 series, the age-group athletes will be competing for one of 15 slots per age group to the 5150 Hy-Vee U.S. Championship in Des Moines, Iowa, on Sept. 1.

RELATED: Brent McMahon Impresses In St. George

Pro Men:
Cameron Dye (USA)
Bevan Docherty (NZL)
Andrew Yoder (USA)
Brent McMahon (CAN)
James Seear (AUS)
Jason Pedersen (USA)
Tom Davison (NZL)
Eric Limkemann (USA)
Mark Bowstead (NZL)
Ryan Bates (USA)
David Kahn (USA)
Lawrence Fanous (JOR)
Sean Sullivan (USA)
Brooks Cowan (USA)
Dan Feeney (USA)
Chad Holderbaum (USA)
Jack Smith (USA)
Nicholas Stanko (USA)
Tom Wood (USA)
Ryan Kelly (USA)
Nate Buttrick (USA)
Make Caiazzo (USA)
Kaleb VanOrt (USA)
Ivan Kalashnikov (RUS)
Matthew Wisthof (USA)
Chris Foster (USA)

RELATED: Kessler On Biggest Race Of Her Career

Pro Women:
Leanda Cave (GBR)
Laurel Wassner (USA)
Margaret Shapiro (USA)
Meredith Kessler (USA)
Angela Naeth (CAN)
Anna Cleaver (NZL)
Nicky Samuels (NZL)
Anna Battiata (USA)
Suzanne Serpico (USA)
Kat Baker (AUS)
Alicia Kaye (USA)
Catherine Sterling (USA)
Lauren Dance (RSA)
Maxine Seear (AUS)
Radka Vodickova (CZE)
Katie Hursey (USA)
Kristin Andrews (USA)
Annabel Luxford (AUS)
Robin Sandos (USA)
Jasmine Oeinck (USA)

Visit Tricolumbia.org for more information.

2. Wetsuit lubricant: Swimming in a wetsuit can easily cause chafing on your neck or under your arms, so make sure you lubricate these areas with a product like BodyGlide or TriSlide.

3. Goggles: Clear and comfortable vision during racing is critical, so try out goggles (page 16) at the store to make sure they fit your face and offer a tight seal. Ideally, you should have two pairs—one with clear or light tint for swimming indoors or in cloudy conditions, and one with a smoke tint for sunny days.

4. Tri kit: Designed to be worn for swim, bike and run, a one- or two-piece tri kit (page 104) saves valuable time in transition on race day. Kits are made for smooth layering under a wetsuit, dry quickly on the bike, and have a thin chamois to make the ride more comfortable but not feel bulky on the run.

5. Bike: If you’re new to the sport and preparing for a local sprint race, your beach cruiser or mountain bike will work. If you’re getting serious about racing triathlon, start thinking about adding clip-on aero- bars to a road bike (page 60) before stepping up to a triathlon bike (page 30). Whether you borrow or buy, make sure your ride visits a local bike shop for a tune- up before race day.

RELATED – 2013 Triathlete Buyer’s Guide: Bikes

6. Helmet: There’s nothing more important than protecting your noggin on the bike, and aero helmets (page 56), while faster in the aero position, protect your head just as well as any typical lid. Make sure it fits well: It should sit level on your head and line up with the middle of your forehead, without wiggling.

7. Bike shorts: While a tri kit is great for race day, you’ll want a thicker chamois for long training rides—not only for the extra padding, but also for the microfiber material that prevents chafing.

8. Tool kit: Installed underneath your saddle, a basic tool kit should contain a spare tube, tire levers (to remove your tire), a patch kit and a mini-pump or CO2 inflator. Flat tires are inevitable, so always be prepared!

9. Sunglasses: Important for both the bike and run, a pair of sunglasses will not only protect your eyes from the sun, but also from wind, rain and the way- ward insect. Look for UVA and UVB protection, and make sure they’re shatterproof.

10. Run shoes: Worn-out shoes can cause injury, so new shoes are worth the investment when the time comes. Visit a running specialty store for a gait analysis, then invest in some appropriate footwear (page 86). Most standard training shoes are good for 300-500 miles.

11. Socks: Unless you already run blister-free with- out socks, don’t try it at a race. Splurge on some wool or synthetic socks so you don’t limp across the finish line with burning heels.

12. Water bottles: For short-course racing, don’t overthink nutrition—the on-course stuff, plus a bottle of water and a bottle of your favorite sports drink on the bike, will get you to the finish line.

RELATED – 2013 Triathlete Buyer’s Guide: Running Shoes

New to the sport? Our partner, the TriRock Triathlon series, offers eight races across the country featuring a fun atmosphere for triathletes of all levels.

The 2013 “Kona Inspired” contest’s video submission deadline has been extended to May 31. The program, launched in 2012, is an alternative way for triathletes to have the chance to race the Ironman World Championship without having to qualify. The program helps to find inspirational athlete stories—all you have to do is submit a video (90 seconds or less) that shows how you exemplify the Ironman mantra “Anything is Possible.” Through the program, not only will incredible athletes get to race in Kona, the global triathlon community will also be choosing the inspirational age-group athletes highlighted in the media coverage surrounding the event.

New this year are more eligible regions (Mexico, Canada, Germany and Australia, in addition to the U.S.) as well as an enhanced prize package (not only will winners have an Ironman Hawaii race entry, they’ll also receive a VIP package, have access to the Ironman Foundation’s fundraising platform to help them support their cause, and more). Plus, this year, the program features a celebrity ambassador, Thad Beaty, the guitarist for the band Sugarland.

To upload a video for the contest, visit Konainspired.com or Facebook.com/Ironmantri. Videos must by uploaded by May 31. Then a panel of Ironman brand representatives will choose 45 finalists from the videos uploaded. Their judging criteria is broken up as follows: 50 percent based on public interest (measured by interest and viewings over social media, etc.), 30 percent based on how well the person represents the mantra “Anything is Possible,” and 20 percent based on overall creativity and artistic merit.

The 45 finalists will be split into three 10-day voting rounds of 15 finalists each (the first voting round starts June 5). The public vote will determine two winners from each of the three rounds, plus the panelists will determine one more wild card selection from the remaining 39 finalists—totaling seven Kona Inspired winners.

So far, WTC has reported they’ve received 98 video entries—eight from Australia, two from Mexico, six from Canada, four from Germany and 78 from America.

Among the 2012 Kona Inspired winners were Brady Murray, who raised funds for orphans with Down syndrome, and Molli Serrano, a pancreatic cancer survivor. For more information about the program, for official contest rules or to start voting on June 5, visit Konainspired.com.

RELATED:
- Kona Inspired: Racing For Orphans With Down Syndrome
- Pancreatic Cancer Survivor Racing Through Kona Inspired

Active lifestyle meets relaxing retreat in this all-inclusive Florida resort.

Go: In the spring or fall, when weather is more temperate. Average daily temperatures fall between 75 and 85 degrees, tempered by trade winds.

Fly: The resort is situated along the St. Lucie River in the town of Port St. Lucie on Florida’s east coast. The closest airport is West Palm Beach (a 45-minute drive), but you can also fly into larger airports Fort Lauderdale (one-hour drive) or Miami (two-hour drive).

Dine: The all-inclusive resort features one main restaurant, The Marketplace, to service its 307 guest rooms. The buffet-style restaurant caters to a wide range of diets, including gluten-free and vegetarian, and has omelet and crêpe stations for breakfast, grill and pizza options for lunch and a variety of cuisines, such as Italian and Mexican, for dinner. Just next door is Soleil, a sit-down à la carte restaurant.

Try Something New

Activities Galore
Here’s your chance to finally give the flying trapeze a try. You can easily fill up your vacation schedule with the wide array of activities included in your stay at Club Med Sandpiper Bay (Sandpiperbay.clubmed.us) such as cardio training, yoga classes, sailing and stand-up paddle-boarding. For an extra fee you can add on deep-sea fishing, a sunset cruise on the St. Lucie River or 18 holes of golf. And don’t worry about the kids while you find your next hobby—the resort has the facilities and staff to entertain kids ages 4 months to teens.

Train the Day Away

Top-notch Fitness Resources
Keep in shape while you’re away at the resort’s 25-yard, five-lane lap pool and recently renovated fitness center, which includes free weights, treadmills and spin bikes. Ask at the front desk for maps of local three-mile and five-mile run routes and a 10-mile bike route. If you’re looking for a little more structure, the resort now offers an “active wellness boost” package specifically for triathlon, where you’ll receive a personalized program geared toward your triathlon goals. Included in the package are a personal evaluation, coaching sessions with a USAT-certified coach, fitness training, mental and nutritional guidance and a treatment at the on-site spa.

Find Your Zen

Time for R&R
Rejuvenate with a deep-tissue massage at North America’s only L’Occitane-branded spa, which features dozens of face and body treatments all using L’Occitane’s heavenly scented products. Or spend time at the adult-only infinity pool overlooking the river.

Race It! The resort hosts multiple sprint triathlon races per year as part of the 2575 Triathlon Series at Sandpiper Bay (2575sandpiperbay.com). The Sept. 15 race starts from the resort and features a 0.75K swim in a quiet bay, followed by a 20K bike and 5K run through residential neighborhoods. The low-stress venue has the start, transition and finish all within steps of your room. Last year, the race drew four-time Olympic triathlete Hunter Kemper and his family to the resort. “It’s a unique race—I don’t know if I’ve ever been in a race where you start and finish within 25 yards,” he said after the race. “It’s convenient and simple. I really enjoyed it.” Club Med offers a discounted rate for registered athletes the weekend of the race.

More Triathlon Tour Guides.

Three fruit-flavored energy gels to power your training and racing.

PowerBar PowerGel

The caffeine-free pomegranate blueberry açai flavor has the most watery texture of the bunch, making it easier to consume during a hard effort but also potentially a little messier. The flavor tastes like a very sweet berry blend, and does a suitable job masking a whopping 200mg of sodium (good for salty sweaters). Each 1.4oz packet contains 110 calories, 27 grams of carbs and 20mg of potassium. $1.49, Powerbar.com

First Endurance EFS Liquid Shot

The wild berry flavor of EFS (electrolyte fuel system) Liquid Shot comes in a 5oz refillable and resealable flask, 3-5 times the size of an energy gel packet. In each flask: 400 calories, 100 grams of carbohydrate and 1,500mg of electrolytes (the most complete electrolyte profile of this review). The flavor seems closer to cake frosting or caramel than fruit, but is still a palate pleaser.
$5.99, Firstendurance.com

Honey Stinger Organic Energy Gel

If you like the taste of Honey Stinger’s energy chews, you’ll love this fruit smoothie-flavored, certified organic gel. The viscosity is similar to honey (organic tapioca syrup and organic honey are the first two ingredients), and the sweetness is mellower than the other two gels in this review. Each 1oz packet contains 100 calories, 23 grams of carbs, 50mg of sodium and 50mg of potassium.
$1.35, Honeystinger.com

More Multisport Menus.

This Sunday, May 5, the Rev3 triathlon season will kick off in Knoxville, Tenn. Pro athletes will be competing in the Olympic-distance race for their share of a $50,000 prize purse, with $7,000 each going to the male and female champions. Age-groupers will be racing on the Olympic-distance course and on a half-iron-distance course.

The race will go through Knoxville’s downtown, starting from Volunteer Landing with a swim in the Tennessee River, a bike from Neyland Stadium (home of the Tennessee Volunteers) onto rolling rural country roads, then a run through the Knoxville Greenway Trail System, with a finish at World’s Fair Park.

Both the men’s and women’s races have a solid lineup of pro triathletes racing, with more than 30 pro men and more than a dozen pro women. On the men’s side, reigning Race to the Toyota Cup champion Cameron Dye highlights the field, as he excels at Olympic-distance non-draft racing, but he’s fresh off a seventh-place finish at last weekend’s St. Anthony’s Triathlon in a strong field, so Rev3 Knoxville will be another test of his early-season fitness. Other top contenders include four-time Xterra off-road world champion and South African Conrad Stoltz, who will give Dye a run for his money on the bike leg. Also, former collegiate swimmer Kyle Leto will likely be at the front out of the water, and former age-group national champ Kaleb VanOrt could easily use his 10K run speed to get on the podium. Other top contenders include Rev3 Half Full champ Eric Limkemann, Andrew Yoder, Brandon Marsh, David Thompson, Xterra specialist Craig Evans and James Hadley.

On the women’s side, the field is highlighted by 2010 Ironman world champ Mirinda Carfrae of Australia, who just finished sixth at St. Anthony’s last weekend. Her top competition will come from London Olympian and Danish athlete Helle Frederiksen, who has proved early-season form by winning Ironman 70.3 San Juan in March (her first ever 70.3) and then the Olympic-distance Nautica South Beach Triathlon in April. Other top athletes include 70.3 specialist Magali Tisseyre of Canada, American and Rev3 Maine champion Lauren Goss, veteran Sam Warriner of New Zealand (who won Rev3’s first season in 2010), Radka Vodickova of the Czech Republic (who will probably be one of the leaders out of the water), and American Jessica Jones Meyers.

Check back to Triathlete.com on Sunday for a race recap and results.

PHOTOS: Rev3 Knoxville

Professional Start List

Men
Brandon Marsh
Eric Limkemann
David Thompson
Dan Feeney
Damian Hill
Craig Evans
Kyle Leto
James Burns
Nick Brodnicki
Alex VanderLinden
Adam Bohac
Conrad Stoltz
Andrew Yoder
Matthew Wisthoff
Kaleb VanOrt
Mark Bowstead
Thomas Maliszewski III
Jack Smith
Tom Wood
Cameron Dye
Ryan Frederickson
Chris Foster
James Hadley
Ryan Bates
Dan McIntosh
Kalen Darling
Ivan Kalashnikov
Caio Ferreira
Brooks Cowan
Andrej Heilig
Kevin Ryan
Jake Rhyner
Artem Parienko
Doug Van Wie

Women
Lauren Goss
Zana Buttermore-Baca
Liz Baugher
Megan Riepma
Helle Frederiksen
Sam Warriner
Mirinda Carfrea
Jessica Jones
Jennifer Spieldenner
Magali Tisseyre
Jullie Patterson
Alice Henriques
Lisa Mueller
Radka Vodičkova

Reigning Ironman St. George champion Meredith Kessler is no stranger to the winds, heat and climbing on the course in St. George, Utah, as she returns for the fourth year in a row. She’ll be racing to win again in St. George this Saturday after a 12^th-place finish at the Ironman Asia-Pacific Championship in Melbourne in March. The last three years, the race in St. George has been an Ironman, but due to its difficulty (2012 saw a 27 percent attrition rate) it was changed to a 70.3 and awarded the title (as well as higher points and prize purse) of U.S. Pro Championship, drawing a much deeper pro field than in previous years. We caught up with Kessler before Saturday’s race to see how she’s feeling.

Triathlete.com: What did you learn from your race in Melbourne? 

Kessler: I learned a lot of things from Melbourne that could cover an entire chapter of a book. I would say the most important thing is to trust your equipment to be able to perform on race day, no matter what the conditions. If you are not able to get enough nutrition or hydration on the bike, your day will end soon—the body is a fine-tuned machine, and if something is off in these departments, no amount of training will make up for it. In addition, what is crucial for any athlete out there is to always remember: not to let success get to your head or failure get to your heart. I absolutely cherish the good days—when everything comes together—these days are never taken for granted. As for the not-so-great days, it’s so imperative to make sure you allow yourself these lower moments to happen and not be afraid to fail. It’s part of life and part of any job—it is also how mistakes are fixed and where learning is flourished. I know we’ll have more failures in the future—while they are character-building experiences to say the least, they also remind me to be thankful and appreciate any success.

RELATED: St. George Travel Guide For Triathletes

Triathlete.com: How are you feeling heading into St. George? 

Kessler: I’m feeling excited and elated to be heading back to St. George for the fourth year in a row. I think it is even more exciting that it’s a 70.3 this year and a U.S. Championship race. It’s such a profound, gorgeous and challenging course in a welcoming community—who wouldn’t be pumped to return? We are coming into this race after a fantastic purplepatch team camp in San Francisco/Stinson Beach, which was perfect timing for those racing this weekend. I’m really looking forward to this course, especially having made some needed changes in my bike setup. After two March international Ironman events, I’m jazzed to race again—especially back in the USA in a place like St. George.

Triathlete.com: What are your thoughts on the course being changed to a 70.3?

Kessler: I am just so glad there is still a race at St. George—St. George is a magical place. It’s a wonderful race, the town is friendly and welcoming, the views are spectacular—one of the best events on the circuit. With that being said, it was unfortunate that the reputation of Ironman St. George was a tough course, which decreased the signups—I think ultimately led to the demise of the full event. It’s Ironman—it’s supposed to be tough! All kidding aside, whether a half or full distance, [I’m] still delighted to return.

Triathlete.com: How do you feel about the strong pro field drawn to the race this year? 

Kessler: It makes me so happy to see that so many professionals decided to race in St. George this year. I feel like this race got brushed under the rug the last three years since it was given low points, low prize money and/or got dubbed as a “harder course.” Sure, it is a tough course, but so are a lot of others on the circuit and this one is worth it. This community and the town of St. George deserve to have a big showing of both age-group and professional athletes. It will be a great day on Saturday for all involved!

RELATED: The Journey Of Meredith Kessler

L.A. chef Niki Tehranchi shares a favorite stew recipe inspired by her Persian upbringing.

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
½ pound chicken, cut up into 1-inch cubes
¼ white onion, thinly sliced
3 oz walnuts, toasted and finely ground in a food processor
¼ tsp kosher salt
2 cups pomegranate juice
1 T pomegranate molasses
1/8 tsp cardamom
2 tsp sugar, if needed

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken and onion in skillet, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Get a nice sear on the chicken to add flavor and texture, and a golden brown caramelization on the onions. Mix in the ground walnuts, salt, pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses and cardamom. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The texture should be that of a chili or hearty stew. If the sauce becomes almost solidified, stir in ¼ cup warm water. Mix in sugar, adjust seasoning to taste, and simmer 15 minutes more. Serve over steamed jasmine rice. Makes 2 servings.

Meet the Triathlete-Chef

After a brief stint as an attorney, Niki Tehranchi fulfilled a long-held dream of becoming a chef and opening her own cooking school. “Life’s too short for you not to do what you love,” she says. As a Persian, Tehranchi loves to cook Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, and the recipe she shared is one of her favorites—her mom used to make it when Tehranchi was growing up. However, the cuisine at her cooking school, Eatz, varies from sushi to Italian to steakhouse. When Tehranchi moved from New York to L.A. to start her business, triathlon was a vehicle to meet new people. She joined Team in Training for the coaching advice and camaraderie, and raced her first triathlon in 2010. This season, she’ll be racing the Wildflower Long Course Triathlon and her first Ironman, Coeur d’Alene.

RELATED – TriathlEats: Grilled Wild Salmon

More TriathEats recipes.

On the heels of racing the ITU World Triathlon San Diego, American Sarah Groff and Aussie Aaron Royle stuck around town to win the Fearless Pro super sprint triathlon. The race was a double super sprint format, featuring a 375-meter swim, a 6K five-lap bike and a 1.5K two-lap run raced twice through back-to-back. The race took place at South Shores Park in San Diego. In the women’s race, Groff, who placed seventh at Friday’s ITU WTS race, took the lead on the first run and never lost it, while the men’s race came down to a pack of four men entering the second T2 together and current U23 champ Royle had to win it on the run. Both winners went home with $2,500 in prize money (the prize purse totaled $10,000).

Women’s Race
Twelve women started the women’s race, which started at 5:30 p.m. The first women out of the water were Groff and Sara McLarty, but McLarty had a slightly faster transition and started the bike in front. Groff caught McLarty by the end of lap two (out of five) of the first bike, and the two worked together to stay ahead of the chase pack, which included the Czech Republic’s Vendula Frintova, Kiwi Andrea Hewitt and recent ITU WTS winner American Gwen Jorgensen. Jorgensen wore her swim cap for the first bike and run to help her to stay warm (wetsuits weren’t allowed on the swim). On the first run, Groff dropped McLarty, who was passed by Frintova, Jorgensen and Hewitt before getting back into the water.

Groff had more than a 20-second lead over the chase pack of three women when she got back into the water. In the second swim, McLarty caught back up to the three-woman chase pack. On the bike, McLarty, Jorgensen and Hewitt all pushed the pace, but over the five laps, the pack only cut about 12 seconds into Groff’s lead into the second T2. Groff started the run about 25 seconds up on the other three women and held onto her lead to the finish. Jorgensen finished second, and Hewitt finished third.

PHOTOS: Sarah Groff Impresses At Fearless Pro Triathlon

Men’s Race
Sixteen men were in the men’s A final (after qualifying heats in the afternoon) at 6:30 p.m., and the race stayed close until the final run. First out of the water was a pack with Russian brothers Ivan and Denis Vasiliev, American Tommy Zaferes, Royle, American Joe Maloy and France’s Laurent Vidal. On the bike, the men quickly formed a lead pack of seven men. Royle (who raced the first bike and run with a swim cap) and Ivan Vasiliev tried to break away on lap three, but the other five men caught the leaders again by the end of the fourth lap. On the first run, a pack of four men stuck together through the two laps with Royle leading the pack of Vidal, Maloy and Ivan Vasiliev.

The four men entered and exited the second swim together, and stayed together through the second bike. Denis Vasiliev rode solo in fifth place about 30 seconds back from the lead pack. The pack stayed together into the second T2, and Royle was first out of transition, followed by Vidal, Ivan Vasiliev and Maloy. Royle pulled away on the 1.5K run for the win, followed by Vidal for second and Ivan Vasiliev for third.

PHOTOS: Royle Beats Out Olympians At Fearless Pro

Fearless Pro Super Sprint
San Diego, Calif. – April 24, 2013
375-meter swim, 6K bike, 1.5K run (raced twice)

Women
1. Sarah Groff (USA) 40:00
2. Gwen Jorgensen (USA) 40:37
3. Andrea Hewitt (NZL) 40:42
4. Sara McLarty (USA) 41:14
5. Aileen Reid (IRL) 41:27

Men
1. Aaron Royle (AUS) 37:10
2. Laurent Vidal (FRA) 37:13
3. Ivan Vasiliev (RUS) 37:22
4. Joe Maloy (USA) 37:24
5. Denis Vasiliev (RUS) 38:05

Post-Race Quotes from the Winners:

Sarah Groff
“This year is kind of my fun year, and this definitely fits in the ‘fun’ aspect. I have a weird sense of fun.”

“Transitions are so much more important—it comes down to a split-second decision-making process. As you’re going along, you’re setting up for the next transition. Normally you don’t have to think about that sort of thing.”

“I just kind of had fun with it. I didn’t quite pace my run properly on Friday, so I think there was part of that where I just really want to be able to run well—that was kind of the goal, to be in a good position for the last run and run well, and that’s what I was able to do, so I’m happy.”

“It’s fun. It’s crazy. It’s chaotic. … If we had a bigger field for the women, I think it could have been really interesting. Get Moffy out there with me. That would have been way more fun the second time—the Groffy and Moffy show, part deuce.”

“So I knew [the run-to-swim transition] was going to be pretty painful, so I was very—I held back on run number 1. Because there’s nothing like all the blood going to your legs to diving in and you have to move your arms, and the blood flow is like, ‘Nuh uh. We’re running. I don’t know what you’re trying to do.’ You feel like you’re half drowning, but if you pace it well on the first run, it’s not as bad.”

Aaron Royle
“It hurt. But it was fun. I don’t know—it’s over so quick, I don’t know how it feels. Whenever you win, it always feels much better than when you do come in second, so it sort of helps distinguish the pain a little bit. I’m glad I won.”

“I’ve had a bit of experience in this format—being in Australia, we don’t do a lot, but we do a bit of this sort of racing back home. I think being a bit younger—23 years old—I had a little bit more speed on the run.”

Chris McCormack’s first Escape from Alcatraz victory rang in a new era of Aussie dominance in triathlon.

This article was originally published in the March/April 2013 issue of Inside Triathlon magazine.

In 1998, Chris “Macca” McCormack was the reigning ITU world champion, but he was practically an unknown on the U.S. triathlon scene. “I was the world champion, but 90 percent of my racing was done in Europe and on the Olympic circuit,” he says. Alcatraz was just his fourth race on American soil and wound up being his first U.S. victory. But to get the win, he had to beat the guy who got him into the sport.

When Macca was a junior athlete in Australia, he read about the legendary San Francisco event in magazines. “You could count on a single hand the sport’s biggest races, and Alcatraz was one of them,” he says. The race drew the biggest names in the sport, including 1994 Ironman world champion and defending Alcatraz winner Greg Welch (“our hometown hero,” as Macca calls him—they hailed from the same town).

Macca exited the swim behind the leaders and made up time by running the half-mile from the water to transition barefoot (he had only packed one pair of shoes). By the end of the bike, he was with only Welch and Wes Hobson, whom the Aussies quickly dropped on the run. The first mile was sub-five minutes before Welch realized he wasn’t going to shake Macca so easily. Despite running at a record-setting pace, the two chatted during the run along Baker Beach. “It was to some degree like two mates having a solid tempo run,” Macca says.

But once they got back to the flat section under the Golden Gate Bridge, “All bets were off, and it would be a run for home and the title,” Macca says. They were neck-and-neck till the finish chute, when Macca started to accelerate and break away. “If you watch footage of the race, I run all the way through the line,” Macca says. “That was the respect I had for the man I was racing!” He took the win in 1:59:56 (a new course record), and Welch finished six seconds later.

Welch’s reaction to being beaten by his protégé? “I should have bolted way earlier as I never had a good sprint in me!”

Macca went on to win four times at Alcatraz, but the first was the most significant to his career. “In a small way [it was] a changing of the guard within Australian racing,” he says. (Welch retired following the 1999 season.)

“Looking back now, without realizing, it was a very important win,” Macca says. “It was really the spotlight that I needed to take my racing success out of Europe and shine it to a U.S. audience, and for them to lift an eyebrow and go, ‘OK, this guy is bloody good.’”

 Photos: 2013 Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon

After a fourth-place finish at the Olympic Games last August, American Sarah Groff started approaching her career with a new outlook. Rather than spending eight months out of the year training on coach Darren Smith’s team in Australia and Switzerland, Groff is looking for more life balance, so she made the switch to coach Joel Filliol. We caught up with Groff to hear about the change, about her new perspective on racing and about her focus for the season.

Triathlete.com: When did you make the decision to change coaches?

Groff: I think I knew that after the Olympics I was going to make a change, be based in the U.S. a little bit more. I was living out of my suitcase for eight months out of the year for the previous couple of years. It just takes its toll on you. Where you see the athletes who successfully do—like Hunter Kemper. He’s done four Olympics, he’s learned how to balance personal life with high performance. We were actually talking about it yesterday, but you have to think of it in terms of a four-year quad, where your first year is calm, it’s fun, you kind of regroup from the Olympic push. Then the next year you kind of get back into it a little bit more. But you really don’t start to put the pressure on until year three and four. And that’s when you just go all out. But in order to set yourself up well for a good Olympic experience, you have to really balance it out the first couple years. I got so much out of working with Darren [Smith], but it’s one of those programs where either you’re 100 percent committed to it and committed to being gone as much as I was, or it’s just not going to work. And I needed to find something that allowed for a couple years where I could regroup and work on some weaknesses and find balance. And it just so happens that there’s a coach who has a group that does ITU, and I get along really well with him. It’s very low-key. We do our thing, we work hard, but it’s not a high-pressure group. The attitude is a bit more relaxed, which is definitely what I need right now.

Triathlete.com: Who else is in the group?

Groff: From the U.S., Tommy Zafares, Jarrod Shoemaker, Alicia Kaye. Internationally, Helle Fredericksen, Caroline Routier, Mario Mola, Richard Murray, Vendula Frintova, Paula Findlay, and he’s also coaching Rinny [Mirinda Carfrae]—Rinny hasn’t quite met up with us at camps yet, but she will sometime.

RELATED: 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Sarah Groff

Triathlete.com: How did you leave things with Darren?

Groff: Great, totally amicable. We had the kind of relationship where if we want to revisit it at some point, the door’s open, I think. He realized that for me to be able to have the foundation I need outside of triathlon, I need to be with [boyfriend] Ben [True], and I need to feel like I have some sort of balance, some sort of home life. At some point, when I feel like it’s an Olympic push—if I need to, I feel like I could call him up, even though I am one of his more difficult athletes that he’s worked with.

Triathlete.com: Why?

Groff: I’m just a smart aleck. He’s used to athletes who do whatever he says. I just question—I like a healthy debate. I like, as the Aussies say, taking the piss out of people. I don’t take myself too seriously; I don’t take too much too seriously. I think he secretly enjoys the fact that I give him a hard time.

Triathlete.com: How’s it going so far with Joel Filliol?

Groff: Great. He’s helping me figure out what I need, and it’s really pretty open dialogue, which is great because there’s a point in an athlete’s career where you almost need to be empowered by your coach to be able to make decisions with them. … We openly discuss what’s working, what’s not working. He has a pretty clear view of where he wants things to go, but he likes to get my input. I really like that. He’s a very quiet, kind of a silent observer kind of coach. He doesn’t talk a lot, but when he does, it makes an impact.

Triathlete.com: What do you think you’ll gain out of your relationship with Joel?

Groff: I think a lot of it is just being empowered as an athlete—starting to trust myself and my decision-making skills a bit more as a mature athlete.

Triathlete.com: What’s your focus this season?

Groff: So my focus is basically setting up for a four-year quad, where, you know, just getting a good foundation, and learning how to race a bit more, having fun with racing, not feeling like there’s any pressure at this point. For training, get experience, work hard, but balanced. … This year I was actually in New Hampshire till February. … We have a house we rent—we have a little setup, we have a dog—just trying to settle into a pseudo-normal domestic life for a little bit. Then we went down to Clermont in early February—we were able to pack up the pickup and bring the dog and drive down. … I can’t do that if I go to Australia.

RELATED – Video: Sarah Groff From San Diego “I Took A Risk”

PHOTOS: 2013 ITU World Triathlon Series San Diego

Olympic athletes will be racing Fearless Pro’s unique racing format for a share in the $20,000 prize purse.

Fresh off racing the ITU World Triathlon Series race in San Diego over the weekend, several ITU pros have stuck around town to race the Fearless Pro triathlon for a share of the $20,000 prize purse on Wednesday. The race will take place at South Shores Park near Fiesta Island in San Diego, and will feature a super sprint distance: a 375-meter swim, 6K bike and 1.5K run.

For the women’s race, there won’t be a qualifying heat, just the finals at 5:30 p.m., when the women will race the super sprint race two times through (instead of going to the finish line, they head to transition to take off their running shoes and return to the ocean). The women’s race will feature a deep field: Olympic bronze medalist Erin Densham of Australia, fourth-place Olympics finisher Sarah Groff of the U.S., recent ITU WTS San Diego champ Gwen Jorgensen of the U.S., two-time Olympian Andrea Hewitt of New Zealand, and Olympian Aileen Reed of Ireland.

For the men’s race, only athletes who have competed at a 2013 World Triathlon Series race (either Auckland or San Diego) are automatically qualified into the “A Finals.” All the other competing men will race in one of two qualifying heats at 2 p.m. or 2:30 p.m., in which they’ll race the super sprint just one time through. The top-five men from each of those heats plus the next two fastest athletes (regardless of which heat) will race the double super sprint in the A Finals at 6:30 p.m. Anyone who doesn’t qualify for the A Finals can race in the B Finals at 3:30 p.m. to gain extra racing experience (not for a share in the prize purse). The men’s field will feature a few Olympians as well: fifth-place Olympics finisher Laurent Vidal of France, reigning U23 world champion Aaron Royle of Australia, Olympian Ivan Vasiliev and his younger brother Denis Vasiliev of Russia, Americans Joe Maloy, Tommy Zaferes Kaleb Van Ort and Eric Lagerstrom, and long-course athletes Luke McKenzie and Clayton Fettell of Australia.

The winners of the A Finals will each receive $2,500, and the prize purse will pay 10 deep (the 10^th-place male and female will received $200). The race format is ideal for spectators—the 6K bike is five laps and the 1.5K run is two laps, so spectators will see the athletes multiple times. At 5 p.m. spectators can also participate in the Fearless Mile, a one-mile foot race taking place on the same course that the pros are racing on. The proceeds will go to the Challenged Athletes Foundation’s Boston Support Fund.

Find out more about the Fearless Pro race at F1tri.com.

RELATED PHOTOS: 2012 F1 Triathlon

After struggling with health issues, Austin-based nutrition manager and fitness consultant Lindsay Cotter revamped her diet and discovered a passion for creative gluten-free cooking. She now uses her knowledge to fuel her and her pro triathlete husband James Cotter’s training, which she writes about on her blog, Cotter Crunch (Cottercrunch.com). In addition to posting dozens of recipes and nutrition advice on the site, Cotter also sells her own gluten-free energy and protein creations called Healthy Bites.

She and James eat the bites for fuel (like the apple cinnamon vanilla bite, made with dried fruits and organic peanut butter), recovery (like the Whey Good bite, packed with all-natural protein powder and almond butter) or just as a snack (like the cookie dough bite, made with gluten-free chocolate chips and honey). Cotter started out making the bites out of her home (she now makes them out of a certified kitchen), so they can be made to accommodate any diet or food allergy (paleo, vegan, dairy-free, etc.).

We loved the cookie dough and Muddy Buddy Mocha, and appreciated the absence of preservatives. Other pro triathletes, such as Meredith Kessler and Kelly Williamson, are ordering up Healthy Bites to fuel their training.

$6.99 for 12 bites; $8.99 for 12 customized bites Cottercrunch.com

RELATED: Bars For Picky Eaters

The fifth class of Hall of Fame inductees included iconic Julie Moss, paratriathlete Jim MacLaren and age-grouper Missy LeStrange.

Three of triathlon’s most influential and iconic stars were inducted into the fifth class of the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame Thursday at the Bahia Resort Hotel in San Diego. Almost 200 people showed up to celebrate the triathlon careers of Jim MacLaren, Missy LeStrange and Julie Moss.

Jim MacLaren is considered by many to be the forefather of the sport of paratriathlon. After his left leg was amputated below the knee following an accident in 1985, he finish the 1989 Hawaii Ironman in a time of 10:42. A second accident left MacLaren a quadriplegic. A fundraiser for MacLaren following the second accident led to the creation of the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), which has raised more than $40 million to help disabled athletes stay in the game of life through sport. The winner of the ESPN’s Arthur Ashe Courage Award in 2005, MacLaren passed away in August 2010. The growth of paratriathlon and its inclusion in the 2016 Paralympic Games is a testament to his legacy.

Bob Babbitt, co-founder of CAF, opened the presentation for MacLaren, saying, “He changed perceptions of what you could do on a prosthetic leg.” MacLaren didn’t want to just finish triathlons: “He wanted to kick ass and take names. … Through triathlons, we’ve raised over $40 million—and it started with Jim MacLaren.”

John MacLaren, Jim’s brother, accepted the award on his behalf, joking, “It’s a special thing to get a huge round of applause for something you’ve never done.” John talked about how much triathlon meant to his brother: “Jim was part of a community with all the people in this room. … I would watch people listen to Jim tell his story, and they’d start to change. … He just told a story and people would get connected to him. They’d connect to Jim first, and then they’d connect to themselves. It was so impressive to me.”

Age-group athlete Missy LeStrange was introduced to the sport of triathlon by her Master swim coach, Dave Scott, while she was a student at the University of California at Davis. She went on to post a decorated career following her first race in 1980. The three-time USA Triathlon Masters Triathlete of the Year honoree won 14 age-group titles at the Ironman World Championship (including 10 consecutive wins), two USAT Age Group National Championship titles and an Olympic-distance age-group world title. LeStrange also served as a member of the USA Triathlon Age-Group Committee from 1992-97 and helped develop a number of organizational programs empowering youth, women, seniors and paratriathletes. She is currently a member of the USA Triathlon History Project.

LeStrange joked that she went to Kona for the Hawaii Ironman for a vacation every year: “I go to Hawaii every year because I like to snorkel.” In her impressive age-group racing career, you almost always saw her smiling. “Winning was never everything,” she says. “It was always the goal to go out there, do the best you can and always cross the finish line smiling.”

Julie Moss is known for her crawl to the finish line of the 1982 Ironman World Championship, which had been broadcast on ABC’s “Wide World of Sports.” Determined to finish second in the race after collapsing 15 feet short of the finish after she was passed by winner Kathleen McCartney, Moss inspired countless people to race triathlon during the early days of the sport. After racing competitively as an elite, she continued to contribute to the sport as a broadcaster and motivational speaker. She returned to compete in Kona last year alongside McCartney to celebrate the 30th anniversary of this memorable moment. Moss and McCartney also recently collaborated to form a motivational speaking company, Iron Icons: Inspirational Speakers.

Special guest Alistair Brownlee, the Olympic gold medalist, joked to Moss that her crawl to the finish “was the first piece of triathlon footage I saw. I don’t know why I did one actually.”

Sports broadcaster Jim Lampley, who witnessed in person Moss’ crawl to the finish when he was covering the race for ABC, introduced Moss at the banquet. “We got back to New York [with the footage of the race] and knew we had the most extraordinary thing,” he said. “People in edit rooms were blown away. … We knew we had to get it on the air exactly the right way.”

Moss spoke about how much impact her 1982 Kona race had on her life: “The girl who always just showed up and got by was being transformed. … I was being transformed into someone who felt like I deserved to be thinking of myself as someone who was good at something.”

The USA Triathlon Hall of Fame was founded in 2008, and this year’s class brings the total number of inductees to 22. Learn more at Usatriathlon.org.

RELATED – Full Circle: Kathleen McCartney And Julie Moss Return To Kona

The U.S. national triathlon team got in some swim practice at the Mission Valley YMCA in San Diego in preparation for Friday and Saturday’s Omegawave ITU World Triathlon Series San Diego races. The Americans highlighting the start list are Olympians Sarah Groff, Jarrod Shoemaker and Hunter Kemper. In addition to the ITU race, the Americans will be racing for the title of  elite national champion and a share of an extra $10,000 prize purse.

RELATED: San Diego Hosts Second Stop Of ITU World Triathlon Series

Some day, you’ll be able to tell your grandkids that you raced triathlon in the era of Chrissie Wellington. Though her stint in the sport was brief—just five years as a pro—she had an indelible influence on triathlon and its future. When it comes to what women could achieve in endurance sports, she shattered people’s conceptions of “possible.” Through her giant smile and daring “live without limits” attitude, she has inspired thousands before announcing her retirement from the sport in late 2012—more than a year after her final race. While her contribution to the sport is impossible to concisely capture, her race course achievements can be summarized in four numbers.

RELATED – Inside Triathlon’s 10 Most Influential People For 2012: #3 Chrissie Wellington

FOUR Ironman World Championship titles (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)

13 iron-distance victories

8:18:13 Women’s iron-distance world record, set at Challenge Roth

ZERO iron-distance losses

This article was originally published in the March/April 2013 issue of Inside Triathlon magazine.

PHOTOS: Chrissie Wellington In Kona

USAT’s national events director shares tips to dominate the course.

The scenic Mission Bay course of the ITU World Triathlon San Diego was the site of some dramatic racing in 2012. For the second year, you can experience the same course the elites will be racing, as well as the same elite experience (think grandstands and Jumbotron). The bike course, new for 2013, will also take you on Fiesta Island, site of the first tri in 1974.

USA Triathlon’s national events director, Jeff Dyrek, who had a hand in bringing the ITU race to San Diego and designing the course, shares some insider advice for tackling the Olympic- and sprint-distance races, which 3,000 age-groupers are expected to race on April 20.

PHOTOS: 2012 ITU World Triathlon Series – Men’s Race

1. Bring a wetsuit. “People probably anticipate Southern California to have warm water and great weather,” says Dyrek. But the water temperature in the protected Ventura Cove swim at last year’s race was a brisk 64 degrees.

2. Familiarize yourself with the new bike course. An all-new bike course now takes athletes east toward Sea World and Fiesta Island rather than north toward La Jolla. “A lot of [the reason for the change] was based on feedback from athletes,” Dyrek says. “We wanted to make sure to give athletes better riding surfaces.” The course includes a new twist: Awards will be given to the winners of the “Fiesta Island Challenge,” those who record the fastest time for the 4.2-mile bike loop around the island.

3. Prepare for a fast but technical bike. The two-lap Olympic bike course features five 180-degree turns as well as a few long straightaways. A mile and a half into the bike course, there’s a U-turn, followed by a 3-mile stretch where athletes can “get down on their bars and really hammer it out” until the turnaround on East Mission Bay Drive. On Fiesta Island, athletes can build up speed before a U-turn near transition and the second lap. If it happens to be a rainy day, Dyrek says the course will still be safe for fast racing since none of the sharp turns follow steep descents.

4. Remember the sunscreen. For the run, Dyrek predicts ideal racing temperatures, but at the time of day, there will be little protection from the sun. He estimates 80 percent of the run course is along the water, so while it’s extremely flat, there’s little to no shade from trees or buildings.

5. Soak it in. The two-lap Olympic run course follows the bay around Bonita Cove, Mariners Basin and onto the Mission Beach boardwalk, with water views almost the whole way. “Take advantage of the scenery!” he says.

PHOTOS: 2012 ITU World Triathlon Series San Diego – Women’s Race

Visit Sandiego.triathlon.org for more. The professional women will race on Friday, April 19 at 3:30 p.m. PDT. The professional men will compete on Saturday, April 20 at 4 p.m. PDT. Both races will be televised live on Universal Sports.